In the wake of negativity towards the Heroes of the Storm eSports, an interview with the Korean team 'Mighty' shows how they think the game could be improved and the dedication it takes to play professionally in Korea.

The original and full interview can be found on rallyjaffa.com along with other incredible insights on the Korean Heroes of the Storm scene. The initial intent to post this article was to draw attention to RallyJaffa's work and get as many eyes reading this interview as possible. 

While the original publication (which we have left unedited below) featured links to the original Reddit thread, that is too subtle of a methodology to credit someone's hard work. It has always been our intention to cover Heroes eSports news and RallyJaffa's interview is big news. 

So enjoy the interview that RallyJaffa wrote and made happen- it was never our intention to hide that fact.


Mighty is a rising Heroes of the Storm team from Korea that is working long hours to compete with the top teams. After a recent interview that was posted on Reddit, Mighty discussed many different aspects of Heroes of the Storm - from the countless hours put into practice to how to improve the game and specifically furthering heroes eSports.

The players on Mighty are extremely dedicated to performing their best. Insight on the way the team works revealed some of the ways they practice.
 

  • The team practices from 1 PM to 5 AM every day. Scrims take up the majority of the afternoon block, followed by individual Hero League practice.
  • Players put in at least 10 Hero League games a day apart from scrims; the more dedicated try to put in nearly 20.
  • Heavy emphasis is put on video review; nearly all scrims are rewatched through replays.


On top of this, the team is also very serious about their communication within the game.
 

  • Disagreeing with the shotcaller in game is strictly forbidden.
  • Blaming team members in game is strictly forbidden.
  • Continuously updating the team of your situation – your current intention, your exact location, your ability cooldowns – is a must.
  • Instantly calling MIA during the laning phase is a must.


It's clear that Mighty is extremely focused on taking their game to the next step. They also brought up some interesting points about the way the game works right now.

Current thoughts on the game

Team Captain and Support player ZZANG had some very interesting thoughts on the way the support role works.

“ It is true that supports, at least in the standard Korean metagame, are mainly there to just run around and throw out heals before using their ultimate to save a teammate from death. It is true that those top tier supports are mostly unable to make proactive plays. However, this does not equate to the role being boring, frustrating or unsatisfying.” - ZZANG

The interview also brought up how the different regions look at the game and play differently from Korean and Chinese teams.

“We believe the West puts too much focus on strategic and theoretical play, often falling into the trap of drafting for a needlessly specific and unrealistic win condition. However, their open-minded experimentation often unearths great meta picks once in a while.”

"Making sure the playerbase has fun playing the game is more important than creating a slightly better pro level experience."

In a time where Blizzard is being criticized for seemingly not giving enough attention to the eSports aspect of Heroes of the Storm, ZZANG had an unpopular opinion on how the game should be balanced. 

“Blizzard should not balance solely around professional play. Professional players will always adapt to the meta and find out what the best picks are; that is an essential part of our job. Making sure the playerbase has fun playing the game is more important than creating a slightly better pro level experience.”

Evaluating the eSports scene

Mighty's Head Coach noted that in the Korean scene, it isn't quite big enough yet.

“Few sponsors are looking to enter the scene; as of now the situation is grim in terms of growth. In terms of sustainability, Blizzard and OGN have no intention of leaving soon, which is a relief, but things need to start looking up again.”

It isn't all gloomy though. He had some very positive words on the future of the game.

“I do not expect a sudden burst of growth. As of now, I am actively discouraging second-tier players from going pro; there is literally no money in the scene for second-tier players. Their careers are not sustainable. But I am persuading the top-tier players to stay and weather the storm. After a few good placings to avoid going broke, one day there will be some fruit to reap. I’m here to help them stick it out. I want us to be there when the dawn comes.”

The biggest suggestion they had for Blizzard was a major comment on their current patching process.

"After a few good placings to avoid going broke, one day there will be some fruit to reap. I’m here to help them stick it out. I want us to be there when the dawn comes."

“DO. NOT. APPLY. NEW. PATCHES. IMMEDIATELY. TO. TOURNAMENTS. Players practice day and night for months for a particular meta. Rolling out a new patch out of the blue then making us play on it in two days… even thinking about it is sickening. This is the absolute worst thing to do to pro players. At the very least we should have a week or two to research anew and quickly adapt. Make a tournament client so the teams unlucky enough to play the first match right after a patch aren’t screwed over. This is a desperate issue. Please.”

Also announced in the interview is that a former Mighty player JOKER is looking to come play on a North American team, potentially bridging the gap between eastern and western teams. The interview went on to discuss many different things about Mighty and the game. Take a look at the entire interview if you want to know more!?

Link to Original Interview

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